Ponderable polemics, poetic

WordPress site of poet Mark Lucker

Contemporary Life

  • Talking ‘bout my generation (in less than complimentary ways)

    My generation has failed this country How we emerged from the sixtiescame of age inthe seventies morphed as a wholefrom justice-seekingto profit makingabove all by holding tight to old waysold men‘leading’ us This is what has gotten us to where we are nowWe should have jettisoned them all those old men likethe dried, used upold Read more

  • The Poet Takes His Meds

    I recently had a ‘heart procedure’doctor clearing out nearly blocked arteryeliminated offending clog with a new stentNow I take medication to keep my blood thinnerflowing more freely The med’s name – clopidogrel – amuses me greatly asI have composed plenty of doggerel inmy many years ofwaxing poeticBut knowing nothing of pharmaceutical naming conventions Ihave to Read more

  • Pseudo 23

    Modern-day Psalmistsplying their trade via pithy sayingsbasic fonts, splashy backdropsportmanteaus of varying interpretation revelationsshifting dunes rounded byprevailing winds as arid, accepted gospellacking lyricism posted for the world byself-anointed prophetsclaiming persecution, occasionally lapsing into lamenting angstbitterly masquerading as witpleading cases to merciful gods/laptop Pharisees issuing agreeable protestationsnever to grasp ‘liking’ is not prayerweeping ideograms donot denote Read more

  • Ghosts of Niemöller

    First they came for the immigrantsAnd I did not speak out Because I was not an immigrantMy ancestors were, but that was differentThen they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Even though America is kind of socialistBut real socialists are evil – so they sayThen they came for the trade unionists Read more

  • January, won

    The first day of a new yearcliché is the currency we traffic innew pages are turnedexpectations for whateverlies aheadexceedingly optimistic self-talk, public proclamationspersonal plans for change, regenerationrenewal carries vagueexpiration date mentally stamped at factorywarning us with certaintylike a gallon of milk ‘hopes will curdle if not used by…’Those with calendars still hanging from walls,refrigeratorsripping last Read more

  • Inheritances

    This is a dark time for many Americansamong the more somber of my lifehopefulness has trouble finding any sort of foothold, sense of balanceMonths away from retirement I already see the tarnish descending on my planned golden yearssitting in a recliner with my feet up letting others take up the resistance just doesn’t sit well Read more

  • Oops.

    “I like to live my life the way I type – fast, and with a lot of mistakes.” – Anonymous Mistakes have always been madecorrections ever problematic the ancients inscribing in clayused wet thumb to smooth outill-placed < \ x = # or ^when caught before the sun bakederrors into eternity rune carvers had less Read more

  • Sampling

    Sitting at a brewery rural, northern Minnesota tasting a variety of beers, ales small flights of five A couple – mid-twenties sits across from us they too, are sampling each other – first timers comparing dating app peccadillos head-scratching mismatches awkward exchanges preferences for beer types, each other quickly give way to comfortable laughter Another Read more

  • More

    A woman I know mid-fiftieswent protestingfirst timer missing out asteenagerwith strict parentsshe wanted‘self-fulfillment’ Seeing her a fewdays later I asked if she foundwhat she had been seeking “Yes and no” she smiled ruefully“I fell in with a group of college kidswho poured milk on my face”quickly adding “for the tear gas” Her voice trailed.“It wasn’t Read more

  • Nonmonochromic

    My yin blue yang red cold, hot spiritual Rock’em Sock’em Robots equal footing confined battle to the end “He knocked his block off!” proclaimed black-and-white TV commercial peers of my youth in victorious awe such is the nature of my id whapwhapwhap kaaa-chinng! Block knocked off. Stoic head pushed back down locking in with sharp Read more